What does diesel cost on La Palma at the moment?
El Time reports an average diesel price of 1.90 euros per litre on La Palma for the last week of September. Petrol 95 stood at 1.72 euros per litre. Diesel is therefore approaching the 2-euro-per-litre mark.
The Canarias7 page, however, incorrectly labels Santa Cruz de La Palma as Tenerife. The prices should therefore only be used with caution for island comparisons.
How much has the price risen?
Since the start of the Iran conflict in late February, diesel on La Palma has become about 57 cents per litre more expensive, according to El Time. Petrol 95 rose by around 38 cents per litre over the same period.
According to El Time, 2026 began with petrol 95 at 1.304 euros per litre and diesel at 1.292 euros. In January and February, petrol stood at 1.344 euros and diesel at 1.331 euros.
By late September it stood at around 1.90 euros per litre.
What relief is available for La Palma?
The Canary Islands government grants a discount for certain non-capital islands, as El Time reports. It is intended to offset part of the price difference compared with Gran Canaria and Tenerife.
The amount is reviewed quarterly. On La Palma it stood at 15 cents per litre from July to September, according to El Time. Since 1 October 2026 it has been 20 cents per litre for the final quarter.
It is not a fixed sum, but is adjusted to the price difference of the preceding months.
What does this mean for holidaymakers and residents?
For holidaymakers with hire cars, the increase means higher fuel costs. Anyone filling a small car with a 40-litre tank pays around 76 euros for diesel at 1.90 euros per litre.
Residents who commute daily feel the increase particularly strongly. A litre of diesel costs 57 cents more than in late February, according to El Time. At 50 litres per week, that is about 28.50 euros extra per week.
The 20-cent-per-litre discount since October softens the increase somewhat. Without it, the price on La Palma would be even higher.
Why are prices rising?
“Since the sustained increase beginning with the start of the Iran conflict last February”, prices have only briefly eased, writes El Time. Since July, diesel in particular has been rising again.
According to the BOE, the Canary Islands do not levy the state special tax on hydrocarbons. Instead, a separate Canarian tax rate on petroleum derivatives under Ley 5/1986 applies, as does the IGIC instead of VAT.
What happens next?
No date for a possible easing of prices is documented in the available sources. El Time describes the development as a sustained increase without respite.
The Canary Islands government discount applies for the final quarter of 2026. Whether it will be adjusted in January 2027 depends on the price difference of the preceding months.
Consumers would do well to check pump prices locally. According to Canarias7, prices can vary by up to 8 cents per litre between individual stations in Santa Cruz de La Palma.